Compost

by Xander King, Rachel Dennison (Illustrator)

Sylvia Scott always hoped to see her estranged daughter again, but she never imagined it would be like this. Staring at a transparent canister filled with Cybil’s remains (ground up inside a trade-secret composite), she reflects on their withered relationship.

She also plots against Homegrown Committals, the natural burial company holding ransom what's left of her daughter. Per contract, if she wants to plant Cybil where she wished to be laid to rest, then Sylvia must pay what is owed. Otherwise, the compost will be used as fertilizer in an off-limits tree grove—a pauper’s field of sorts.

The grieving mother has no intention of letting that happen. Not only will she walk out of HoCo with the gelatinous goo in hand. She will also make the company suffer for its exploitative practices.

Compost is a genre-bending exploration of loss and what is reclaimed from it. As horrifyingly bleak as it is comically refreshing, this dramatic satire lampoons corporate greed and environmental greenwashing while tugging at your heartstrings.

Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2025